1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beverage dispensers and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a method and apparatus for dispensing a beverage from a liquid concentrate that is self-contained and includes a multi-flavor capability and a self-cleaning feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Popular beverages include coffee, cappuccino, and hot chocolate, all of which are enjoyed with flavor additions. Traditional brewing methods often are less than satisfactory and the trend in the beverage service industry is to produce such beverages from a concentrate and a mixing fluid combined within and dispensed from a beverage dispenser. A typical beverage dispenser includes a whipper coupled with a concentrate supply and a mixing fluid supply, such as water, and an outlet. The number of whippers and outlets provided in a beverage dispenser corresponds to the number of beverages desired for dispensing. In operation, a concentrate and mixing fluid are delivered to a whipper which combines the concentrate and mixing fluid to form a desired beverage prior to the beverage being dispensed from a corresponding outlet. The typical beverage dispenser uses either a powdered or a liquid concentrate with liquid concentrate being preferable as powdered concentrate tends to coat surfaces within the beverage dispenser resulting in unsanitary conditions.
While the typical beverage dispenser operates satisfactorily in dispensing a desired beverage, these beverage dispensers do suffer disadvantages. Space within any beverage service industry establishment is limited. Consequently, any beverage dispenser must remain within an acceptable size. Unfortunately, this constraint restricts the number of dispensable beverages as each whipper and outlet increases the size of the beverage dispenser, resulting in a situation where the number and type of beverages is less than desirable. Moreover, each additional whipper and outlet increases the cost of the beverage dispenser. In addition, sanitation of any beverage dispenser is problematic and must be performed on a regular basis. However, cleaning a whipper and whipper chamber often results in cleaning solution being delivering into the concentrate or mixing fluid supply stream, thus causing loss of concentrate and mixing fluid. Additionally, many beverage dispensers are generally wasteful of the mixing fluid during cleaning operations and/or as a result of arbitrarily instigating cleaning operations. Because the mixing fluid often comprises water of higher quality than typically available at the tap, such spoliation of the mixing fluid is a costly disadvantage of such dispensers.
Accordingly, a beverage dispenser including a multi-flavor capability that increases beverage choice while decreasing costs and a self-cleaning feature that prevents concentrate or mixing fluid spoliation will provide an improvement over existing beverage dispensers.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispenser that includes a multi-flavor capability that increases beverage choice while decreasing costs.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a beverage dispenser that includes a self-cleaning feature that minimizes concentrate and mixing fluid spoliation.
Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following.